1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a construction of mounting a connector on a mounting plate such as a bracket.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 7,435,125 discloses a connector for electrically connecting a towing car and a car to be towed. The connector for the towing car is mounted on a bracket provided vertically on a lower portion of a rear end of the body of the towing car.
The connector for the towing car has a fit-in portion with an opening and a closing lid disposed at a rear end of the fit-in portion. A mating connector of the car to be towed is fit in the fit-in portion. The fit-in portion is inserted into a mounting hole formed in the bracket from a front end of the connector. A flange is formed on the peripheral surface of the connector and is capable of contacting the edge of the mounting hole of the bracket from the rear of the bracket. A metal elastic locking piece also is mounted on the peripheral surface of the connector and can lock the edge of the mounting hole from the front of the bracket. The elastic locking piece extends rearward from the front end thereof.
The front end of the connector for the towing car is inserted into the mounting hole of the bracket from the rear and the bracket causes the locking piece of the connector to displace elastically. The elastic locking piece elastically returns to its original state when the flange contacts the rear of the bracket at the edge of the mounting hole. The front end of the elastic locking piece locks the edge of the mounting hole from the front. Thus, the connector for the towing car is mounted on the vertically disposed bracket.
The lower end of the elastic locking piece on the connector of the conventional connector-mounting construction forms a short cantilevered insertion portion facing the front of the elastic locking piece. An insertion groove faces rearward on the periphery of the connector. The insertion portion is press fit into the insertion groove so that the elastic locking piece is cantilevered rearward on the connector.
A pull force directed rearward toward the car to be towed may act on the above-described connector for the towing car. As noted above, the connector for the towing car is mounted on the bracket with the elastic locking piece locking the front of the bracket at edge of the mounting hole. The pull force applies a load to the elastic locking piece in a direction to remove the insertion portion from the insertion groove. The insertion portion is press-fit into the insertion groove with a wedge at the side edge of the insertion portion cutting into the wall of the insertion groove. However, there is a fear that the elastic locking piece will be removed from the insertion groove if the connector is pulled with a great force.
The present invention has been completed in view of the above-described situation. It is an object of the invention to allow a locking piece to hold a connector with a great force and the connector to be mounted on a bracket at a high mounting strength.